Light beam comparator



Sept. 23, 1947.

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Patented Sept. 23, 1947 LIGHT BEAM COMPARATOR David A. Korman, Forest Hills, N. Y.

Application January I0, 1945, Serial No. 572,176

Claims.

This invention relates to testing and control apparatus for laboratories, research and plant installations, and more particularly is directed to fluorescent light beam comparators for assaying and measuring by comparison, the turbidity, color or fluorescence of solutions to determine the chemical and physical properties and characteristics thereof.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the character described Which shall comprise few and simple parts forming a neat appearing, compact instrument, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall be capable of quickly and accurately determining or testing the chemical and physical properties of materials, which shall be easy and simple to manipulate, and which shall be practical and eflicient to a high degree in use.

Other objects and advantages will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter disclosed the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims,

In the accompanying drawing in which one embodiment of the invention is shown,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an improved fluorescent comparator constructed to embody the invention shown partly in section to expose the interior assembly.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view in section taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 showing the carrier rack in one extreme position.

Fig. 3 is a top sectional view taken on line 3 3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the'carrier-rack removed Vfrom the apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the viewer filter and slide mounting therefor removed from the apparatus, and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the lamp lter and slide mounting therefor removed from the apparatus.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a-testing and control apparatus constructed to embody the invention in the form of a iiuorescentcomparator suitable for assaying and measuring the physical and chemical properties or characteristics of solutions, such as relative turbidity, fluorescence or other colorimetrio determination in assaying or measuring the characteristics of solutions, for example as required in water analyses, blood and urine chemistry, vitamin potency, hydrogen ionization, relative concentration, chemical constituents and for other like purposes.

Said apparatus I0 may be housed in a suitable casing II made of rigid sheet material, said casing I I being divided into two main compartments or chambers Illa and Ib by a separating partition I2. The latter may be constructed with a conduit or flue I2a between walls I2b and I2c, and upstands from a midportion of the bottom side IIa of casing II as shown in Fig. l. Partition wall I2b within chamber IIia has mounting means, such as bracket straps or bands I3, for securing a iiuorescent type of lamp L over a centrally disposed Window opening I2d, cushioning spacers I4 of asbestos being provided between said wall I2b and the lamp L. Said lamp L is thus irmly retained in position away from the surface of the wall I2b as shown in Fig. 1.

Chamber Ilia also has mounted therein an electric motor-driven fan or blower F of any suitable construction which may be supported from the casing bottom side or ioor IIa by a rigid angle support B. A switch S may be mounted on a side wall Ind of said chamber Ilia for connecting into an electric circuit (not shown) the motor-driven fan F and lamp L in the well understood manner, fragmentary portions of the wiring of such circuit being shown at W in Fig. 1. A rear Wall I 0e of the chamber Illa adjacent the motor-driven fan F may be formed with inlet louvers IIJf to admit air into the chamber Illa as a cooling medium about said fan motor and lamp L.

'Ihe flue I2a formed in the partition I2 may be made with spaced openings I2e which communicate with the exterior of casing II to serve as outlets for the circulating air forced by the fan F from the chamber I0a about the lamp L, through the partition Wall window opening I 2d into the flue I2a and out through said spaced openings |2e. A top cover or lid IIb is provided for casing II and extends over chamber Illa which extension may have suitable Ventilating louvers I0g formed therein as shown in Fig. 1. A suitable hinge IIc may be provided for a section of the lid IIb so as to give access to the interior of chamber Illa without requiring the removal of the lid I Ib.

The lower end of the flue I2a may be slitted as at I2h to provide another communication with the exterior of casing II, the bottom side or oor IIa of the latter being positioned above a heat insulating space H over 'a supporting surface G for the apparatus I0 and throughopenings IId provided in the front and rear walls |07' and Ille, respectively of said apparatus as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The partition wall |2c also has a center window opening |27' which aligns with said window opening I2d so that light beams from lamp L pass therethrough. On the inner side of said wall I2c within the ue |2a and along vertical rim edges of said opening |27' runways I5 are secured in which is removably seated a lter frame holder I6 carrying a suitable light filter I1. Said holder I6 has a suitable iinger grip means |6a for sliding said holder I6 with the lter I1 vertically into and out of eective posi-` tion as is clear from Figs. 1 and 3.

In chamber Ib, on the other or front side of said partition wall |2c and extending horizontally above and below window opening |27'V are secured runways 2U in which there is slidingly mounted a carrier-rack I8, the latter extending through both side walls Ih of chamber Illb for movement in a path in front vof opening |27 as is indicated by the double arrow in Fig. 2. This opening |27 serves as an illuminated field of the light beams from the lamp L.

The carrier-rack |'8 as seen in Figs. 1 to 4, may be made of an elongated stiff flat plate I8a having a central continuous open portion |811, the latter being of a height equal to that of the partition wall window opening |27'. Suitable means, such as pairs of looped bracket members I8c extend horizontally along opposite rim borders of open portion |8b, said members |80 being made to have a plurality of uniformly spaced clear glass vessels or tubes I9 fitted therein. A bottom angle support |8d is provided to retain said tubes I9 in alignment, the mid-portions of said tubes I9 extending across the open portion I8b of plate |811. A suitable handle |8e is provided at one end of plate Ia for eiecting the sliding of carrier-rack I8 from the exterior of the casing.

Aligning centrally with window opening |27' within chamber Ib in front of the path of movement of carrier-rack I8, there is a carrier 2| 5 having looped members 2Ia in which is tted a single glass vessel or tube 23 vertically disposed to rest on ledge 2lb. The carrier 2| with the tube 23 is mounted for movement to and away from said carrier-rack I8 as indicated by the double arrow in Fig. 1. As here shown, the carrier 2| may be smoothly reciprocated and retained rmly in effective positions by providing slide tracks 2|c secured to the casing bottom IIa in which shoe portions 2|d at the lower end of said carrier 2| ride. A horizontally extending guide rod 22, xed to move with the carrier 2 I, projects through and beyond the front casing wall |07l as at 22a, the projecting end of the rod 22 terminating in a handle 22h for manipulating the carrier 2|.

The guide rod y22 has a rear or leading end 22c extending to a point which is short of, that is, outside the path of carrier-rack I8 when lsaid rod 22 with the carrier 2| is'drawn to the extreme position toward the casing front Wall |07', said end 22c being adapted to be inserted through one of the spaced holes I8f of the carrier-rack I8 and also into an aligning hole I2lc of the partition wall |2c when the carrier 2| is moved into an effective extreme position toward Vsaid carrier-rack I8.' The tube 23 on carrier 2| then will be positioned between and in align- -ment with adjacent tubes I9 mounted 'on the 'carrier-rack I8. The front wall |07' of the cas- 4 ing II may be provided with suitable Ventilating louvers Ik as shown in Fig. 1.

A viewer designated generally as 25 may be provided to upstand on the cover IIb directly over the open ends of the tubes I9 and 23 that are in the light eld. Said viewer 25 has a tubular body portion 25a and may be provided with a suitable removable lter holder frame 25h carrying a filter 25o. The body portion 25a is secured .on the casing cover IIb and has runways 25d formed therewith or mounted therein on which said holder frame 25D with the filter 25e is seated. The latter is slideably mounted in position preferably in angular relation to a horizontal plane, that is, to the direction of the path of light beams from the surfaces of the solutions at the open ends of said aligned tubes I9 Aand 23 to avoid possible glare. The lter `holder frame 2517 with the filter 25c may be removed by withdrawing the same from the seated position on runway 25d by means of handle 25e which extends through the body portion 25a as is clear from Fig. 1.

Aft/er constructing and assembling apparatus III as described above and shown in the drawing, the practical application of the invention will be apparent. The switch S of the electric wiring W is connected to a suitable power source to connect in circuit the motor-drive of fari F as well as therlamp L. The lamp L when used for fluorescent work may be of the mercury type and when requiring a relatively high wattage utilizes the motor-driven fan F -to cool same by circulating air through chamber Illa, and the ventilating flue I 2a.

Beams of light characteristic of the mercury lamp L wi-ll then pass through the window opening I2d across flue |2a and throughlter I1 for absorbing all but a desired portion of the spetrum of said `light beams. The filtered light beams passing through window opening |27' are available for illuminating the eld in the path of rmovement of the tubes lI9 carried on rack I8. If now one of the tubes I9 containing a standard or known solution be brought into the .illuminated field by manipulating the handle |8e, the same can be readily used for comparison with a sample or test specimen solution contained in tube 23 mounted on carrier 2| which may also be positioned in said illuminated field beside tube yII'I by manipulating handle 2217. y

Now, through the viewer 25, with or without the lter holder frame 25h and filter 25C in effective position as is found necessary, a comparison of color characteristics or other differences in the solutions in tubes I9 and 23 can be madeunder the inuence of light beams from lamp L, using the filter I1 if necessary said iilter being readily removed if not required by sliding the iilter holder vframe I6 out of its seated position Vfrom the ue |2a in the casing II, as is clear from Fig. 1. If desired the viewer 25 instead of 'being positioned as shown, may be mounted instead ori the front wall of the casing in alignment with the partition wall window openings through which a .comparison yor determination of the desired characteristics of solutions in the several tubes can Abe made while said tubes occupy the illuminated field. It is to be understood that apparatus .i0 can be .used by having a sample or samples of specimens .of `solutions contained in tubes `I9 and a standardV known-solution in tube '23 for .comparison in the marmer above described.

"It will ihus'fbe'seen that there is provided 'an apparatus of the character described in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various other possible embodiments might be made of the above invention in which the type of light used may be varied as required, for example to protect the solution against undue heating, or to exclude certain spectrum rays, or for other reasons, and as various changes might be -made in the embodiment set forth it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth and shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing having an interior transversely extending partitioning means to provide adjoining compartments, said partitioning means formed with Walls having aligned window openings, said Walls being spaced apart to provide a ue extending between said compartments, said flue having outlets communicating with the exterior of the casing, an incandescent lamp serving as a light source occupying a first of said compartments, light beams from said lamp providing an illuminated field in said aligned window openings, pressure Ventilating means positioned in said rst compartment for supplying a cooling medium successively from said rst compartment about said lamp and through said flue, a carrier-rack mounted for sliding movement on one of the partition walls within a second of said compartments along a path through said illuminated field, said carrier-rack extending through side casing walls of said second compartment for manipulating the sliding movement thereof from the exterior of the casing, vertically disposed open-ended tubes containing solutions uniformly spaced apart in alignment at least a distance equal to the width of each tube and removably secured on the carrier-rack, said tubes being laterally spaced so as to have a selected number of said tubes illuminated in said field, a carrier mounted for sliding movement on the bottom casing wall of said second compartment to and away from the partition Wall window openings, a tube similar to each of said spaced apart tubes containing a solution removably secured on said carrier and moveable with the latter into said field between two of said spaced apart tubes in alignment therewith to permit comparison of the illuminated solutions in adjacent tubes with each other, said carrier having a portion extending through a front casing wall of said second compartment for manipulating the sliding movement thereof from the exterior of the casing, a wall of said second compartment having an opening aligned with said illuminated solution when positioned for comparison, and means carried by said wall for viewing adjoining tubes with the solutions illuminated in said iield through said last -mentioned opening from the exterior of said casing.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said viewing means includes a tubular body secured to a casing wall of the second compartment for observing all the illuminated tubes located Within said eld whereby a comparison thereof is facilitated.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said viewing means includes a tubular body secured to extend from the exterior casing wall of the second compartment to observe all the open ends of the tubes illuminated by said eld whereby a comparison thereof is facilitated, said apparatus including a light lter slideably mounted on one of the partition walls within said flue to extend over the window opening thereof for modifying the effective character of said illuminated field.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which a tubular body secured to extend from the exterior casing wall of the second compartment to observe the tubes illuminated in said field whereby a comparison thereof is facilitated, a light filter slideably mounted within said flue on the partition wall spaced from said lamp and extending over the window opening thereof for modifying the eiTective character of the illuminated field, and another light lter slideably mounted in the tubular body in an angular relation for observing the tubes in a non-glaring illumination of further modified effective character. Y

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a light source, a carrier-rack extending through an illuminated field of the light source, spaced tubes containing different solutions removably secured on the carrier-rack and positioned to be illuminated in said field, a carrier mounted for movement independent of the movement of said carrier-rack. a tube adapted to contain a solution removably secured on said carrier, means for moving said carrier to position the tube in said field between said spaced tubes to permit comparison of solutions in the various tubes with one another, a partition wall formed with a Window opening of sufficient width to accommodate at least three tubes in alignment in which the illuminated field is located, means for supporting the carrier-rack for sliding movement with tubes along a path in and out of the field, a sliding support for the carrier movable along a path to and away from said partition wall and Window opening, a light lter removably supported on said partition wall to extend over the Window opening for modifying the effective character of said illuminated field, said tubes all being open ended and vertically disposed, a tubular viewing body positioned over the open ends of the tubes -located in the field, and a second light filter removably supported in said tubular viewing body to modify the effective character of light beams passing therethrough.

DAVID A. KORMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Nephe1ometry, by Kober et al., published Oct. 1915, page 3 cited. (Copy in Div. 7, U. S. Patent O'ice.) 

